by Francesca Di Meglio

Tony DeSare is ready to show off his musical chops after a four-month run in the off-Broadway hit Our Sinatra, a tribute to legendary crooner Frank Sinatra that featured as many as 50 Chairman of the Board classics.

DeSare has been building his career for many years. At 8, he picked up the violin; at 12, he started piano lessons; at 16, he started singing and by 18 he was making money as a musician. This winter, the 28-year-old played the piano and belted out Sinatra's timeless tunes alongside co-stars Hilary Kole and Adam James at Birdland, New York's top jazz club. But now he is ready to stand in the spotlight alone.

DeSare plans to heat things up even more this summer when he releases his first CD. Featuring legendary jazz guitarist (and fellow Italian American) Bucky Pizzarelli, the CD will likely offer a mix of carefully chosen standards, lesser known but equally beautiful songs and DeSare's original compositions. As he promotes the CD, he will be performing live at Birdland, Foxwood's in Connecticut and Shanghai Jazz in Madison, New Jersey.

His tenure in Our Sinatra gave his career a boost, he says. From the outstanding reviews to the growing fan base, DeSare credits some of his current success to the show. He adds that having to play in front of 80 to 150 people on a regular basis certainly helped him grow as a performer.

If you think DeSare is through with Sinatra just because the show's most recent run is over, you are mistaken. One listen to samples of his renditions – “We've Got a World That Swings” or “I'm in the Mood for Love” – and you'll be reminded of Old Blue Eyes. DeSare is just as cool and confident as Sinatra when he sings – and he seems to honor the late legend without trying to fill his shoes. “I discovered Frank Sinatra when I was 16, and he became a huge influence…One thing that I felt from the first time I heard his music is that nothing about it seems dated.”

DeSare says he too tries to appeal to a wide-ranging audience, and he has noticed that grandmothers and their grandchildren show up to his shows together. He also realizes that this musical genre helps connect him to Italian America. (At least part of DeSare's family is from Bari, and he is interested in further exploring his Italian roots, he says.) “It's almost an Italian tradition to keep singing and loving this music,” DeSare adds.

But the humble and handsome DeSare won't be picking up a rock-star attitude anytime soon. He seems to know how to keep the music business and his achievements in perspective. “This type of music isn't necessarily trying to change the world,” he says. “It's just trying to maybe make the world a slightly more bearable place.”

Visit www.tonydesare.com for more information on DeSare, his CD and live performances.